Mother’s Day– Last Minute But Awesome Gift Ideas

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English: Mother's Day card

English: Mother’s Day card (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you are reading this, you probably still are trying to decide on a really awesome Mother’s Day gift for your mom,wife grandmother or significant other.  Maybe you are not thrilled with the commercial selections– just tired of cut flowers that die in a few days (plus they often are toxic), chocolate (that Mom really does not need) or the mundane blouse, scarf, etc.

We have a few ideas here at LGBG.  Consider taking Mother’s Day to a new level.  So many people are aware of the “green movement” and “sustainability,” but they either do not know how to get started or simply have not had the time to get involved.  This is your opportunity to introduce Mom to a healthier and happier lifestyle that can be fun for the whole family.  Here are a few suggestions: Read More →

Healthy Wholesome Eating: Travis Marmara’s Recipe for Butternut Squash Soup

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Butternut squash chowder

When I think of the fall season I imagine vibrant colors and ingredients. Autumn has some truly unique flavor profiles, and in this week’s dish, I wanted to highlight some of them in an earthy and comforting chowder recipe.

Both butternut squash and sweet potatoes have a fibrous texture that makes them ideal for hearty fall stews and soups. More importantly however, each of these ingredients contain high levels of Vitamin A, “..A powerful natural anti-oxidant that is required by the body for maintaining the integrity of skin and mucous membranes. Research studies also suggest that natural foods rich in vitamin A help the body protect against lung and oral cavity cancers.” Even more, butternut squash contains only 45 calories per 100 g and is perfect for those who are looking to diet without sacrificing flavor. So grab a bowlful of Autumn with this week’s recipe and if you have any suggestions for future recipes, please email me at travis@livegreenbegreen.com!

Ingredients

3 Large Mushrooms
½ Medium Sized Butternut Squash
½ Sweet Potato
3 Cloves Garlic
½ Yellow Onion
16 oz Corn
4 Cups Beef Stock (I made my signature stock by boiling beef shanks, but you can substitute by using a beef cube or bullion)
½ Pint Heavy Cream
½ Cup Bourbon
Salt and Pepper
½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
¼ Teaspoon All Spice
Lemon Zest
2 tablespoons Cornstarch

Preparation

Step 1:

Cut, peel, and remove seeds and guts from butternut squash. Once finished, dice into cubes along with sweet potato. (The best method I found for scooping out the inside of the squash was using an ice cream scooper).

Step 2:

Dice mushrooms, garlic and onion

Step 3:

Combine all ingredients into large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let mixture simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes add in heavy cream and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add cornstarch in at last minute and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes until mixture has thickened to desired thickness.

Step 4:

Let soup cool and once it has reached room temperature mix in blender until smooth.

Step 5:

Serve and enjoy!

Makes About 8 Servings

Source:  http:// www.nutrition-and-you.com/butternut-squash.html

How to Serve Up NFL Sunday Football With Shrimp and Bacon Deviled Eggs

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Deviled eggs are a staple for NFL Sunday football, and this recipe adds shrimp and bacon to the mix, making this a particularly tasty treat.  The addition of instant potato flakes gives extra body to the filling.  Any extra yolk can be sprinkled over a spinach salad, adding another healthy and delicious dish for your football celebration.  An added plus is that this dish can be prepared the day before and chilled until game time.

This dish can be made healthier by purchasing eggs from local farmers.  Also, be mindful of your shrimp purchase by buying shrimp raised here in the United States as opposed to farm raised products imported from other countries, particularly southeast Asia where the seafood may have been treated with high levels of antibiotics or may not have been inspected.

deviled-eggs-ck-1599652-x

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr (Credit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1.  8 large hard-boiled eggs shelled.
2.  1/4 cup instant potato flakes.
3.  1/4 cup of fat-free mayonnaise.
4.  1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives.
5.  2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.
6.  1/4 teaspoon salt.
7.  1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
8.  1/8 teaspoon of ground red pepper.
9.  1/2 cup of cooked medium shrimp peeled and chopped.
10.  2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
11.  3 slices of center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled.

Directions

Cut eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks. Place 4 yolks in a medium bowl; reserve remaining yolks for another use. Add potato flakes and next 6 ingredients (through red pepper) to yolks; stir well. Stir in shrimp and parsley. Spoon about 1 rounded tablespoon shrimp mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle with bacon.

Source:  Julianna Grimes Bottcher & Ann Taylor Pittman, Cooking Light 
APRIL 2007

 

Have A Happy Green Fourth Of July

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A Fourth of July fireworks display at the Wash...

A Fourth of July fireworks display at the Washington Monument. Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (DC) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Fourth of July is tomorrow, and for those planning picnics and barbecues, we have some last-minute suggestions to make this day a happy green celebration.

  1. Buy local produce—  This is a great time to support local fruit and vegetable farm stands.  In addition to getting the best bargains on your fruits and vegetables, you also will get an extra bang for your buck with fresh products that are organic— no pesticides, preservatives or GMOs.
  2. Grill green and guilt-free.  We know that grilling has an adverse impact on the environment and increases our carbon footprint.  This is true with both propane and charcoal grilling.  According to Steve Skerlos, environmental engineering professor, “what you grill matters as much or more than how you grill”.  The main issue here that often is ignored is the amount of water consumption associated with the production of the product going on the grill.  Consequently, chicken and vegetables have less of a water impact than red meat.  Skerlos suggests putting as much food as possible on the grill because “the more you cook at once, the more efficient you are going to be”.  See video at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/02/green-grilling-4th-of-july-barbecue_n_3535757.html?ir=Detroit.
  3. Reduce electricity consumption.  If your holiday party will continue after dark, consider using solar lamps and lanterns.  These lights will serve as part of your decor while simultaneously reducing your use of electricity.  These products are charged simply placing them in the sun or with the use of batteries.  Check Ikea and/or Target for these products.
  4. Leave fireworks to the professionals.  While fireworks are an accepted part of traditional Fourth of July celebrations, we ask that you leave this part of the celebration to the experts.  Avoid the use of home firework displays as they often result in injury and/or death.  They are costly and not a good buy.  Also, they are prohibited in many jurisdictions.  Take this opportunity to enjoy municipal or other public displays, which incorporate special precautions to ensure the safety of viewers and which offer spectacular displays.
  5. Green your alcohol consumption.  The Fourth of July is a great time to celebrate with organic wines and beers.  There are many selections available to complement healthy grill selections and side dishes.  Check with your local liquor stores for suggestions, and do’t forget to peruse the craft beer selections.  Two good places to start are:
    • http://www.opportunitygreen.com/green-business-blog/2011/05/19/top-10-organic-beers, and
    • http://dontfearthevegan.com/2012/05/30/worthy-of-sharing-trader-joes-vegan-beers-wines/.
  6. Recycle.  Please consider recycling your trash during your celebration.  Your guests, more than likely, will be pleased to have clearly designated containers for trash.  This will save cleanup time when the party is over, facilitate easy curbside placement for trash pickups or trips to the dump, and most importantly give you, the hosts more times to mingle and enjoy your company.  Lastly, you will benefit the environment.

We here at LGBG wish everyone a health, happy, safe, GREEN Fourth of July!

Celebrate With A Green Christmas Party

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Today for good green news, let’s talk about holiday celebrations.  Now that the Christmas shopping is well underway and the decorating is complete, we can turn attention to planning a green Christmas party.

The first order of business is planning the theme in terms of color, linens, place-setting, etc.  This year, try to avoid using disposable plates and cutlery, or if that is not possible, try to use green brands.  There are a number of websites that offer eco-friendly party ware, and also Party City stocks some green items.

When it is time to shop for food for your party, please remember the local merchants.  This is a great time to visit the local butcher, who is an expert at filling your meat orders based on expected attendance and who is more than willing to order specialty items for your holiday parties and feasts.  Also consider purchasing fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts from local vendors.  This is an excellent opportunity to support the local economy.  When planning your party menu, remember that the more you serve, the more people will eat and drink.  Try to limit over-consumption by using smaller plates to limit portion size and by limiting the available items on the menu.  Add a special touch to your holiday fare by including dishes with less meat and more vegetables, and be more than happy to provide the recipes to visitors when they ask for them.  This is your opportunity to demonstrate how appetizing a green diet can be.

No Christmas party is complete without spirits– the alcohol kind.  This year, visit your local beer crafters and distillers for great suggestions on items to serve.  Remember that you can get good beer and wine from home in any state in the United States.  A great place to start your search is http://www.distilling.com/PDF/craft.pdf and http://www.chamberstwines.com/?aspxerrorpath=/Article.asp.  On the latter site, you can find information on natural and organic spirits.  Also, check out our earlier blog on drinking green at http://livegreenbegreen.com/2012/06/18/drink-green-eat-green.  For a special added touch, considering serving a signature drink.

Also,  here is a good site for some ideas.

For a few housekeeping matters, when inviting guests to your holiday party, use telephone and electronic messages to reduce the use of paper.  The use of electronic messaging and invitations also carries a built-in method to monitor the RSVPs.  Secondly, plan ahead to recycle when cleaning up after the party.

It's just around the corner...

It’s just around the corner… (Photo credit: ecstaticist)

Christmas celebrations present wonderful opportunities to visit with family and friends.  Party hosting can be hectic, but with a little planning and research, party preparation can be less stressful, thrifty and green.  This Christmas let’s party green, live green, be green.

A Possible Future of Green

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Ever since people can remember, they have always seen films and read literature about the future, wherein it always seemed to be envisioned that the distant millennium was to be a period of time which knows no boundaries – the vast landscapes of our world suddenly was completely made over as extravagant, technologically advanced buildings and flying cars dotted society everywhere.

Similarly, in more contemporary times, the homes of tomorrow were once thought to be realistically furnished with technologically advance furnishings from door to door, floor to floor.  As one might imagine, this design could easily amount to a very costly endeavor.

Luckily, the reality check we have come to know as the “Great Recession” has led us to review and rework our views of the future.  Now, the home of tomorrow is more widely viewed as a project of sustainability, as viewed from both economic and environmental standpoints.  Efforts now reside in striding towards eco-friendly design, furnishing homes so that they are green, and in reaping the economic benefits that design brings about.

In fact, one great example is that of the Los Angeles-based firm, KB Home, who has been designing environmentally conscious homes for a while and who now plans to show a model in Waldorf, Maryland.  The building is incredible, as is equipped, because it is actually what is considered to be a “net-zero” home, one which creates more energy than it uses.  (The thought is truly mind-blowing, I know.)

Some features of the home include:

  • 42 solar panels on the roof
  • electric car charging docs in the garage
  • energy reserving windows throughout the home
  • energy star appliances (of course)
  • solar-powered water heater tank
  • buttons on sinks to get instant hot water, so as not to waste water waiting for the temperature to turn
  • compost pit out back, which feeds garden beds of fresh herbs
  • underground sprinkler system running on climate readings, not a timer
  • permeable patio pavers that allow water to flow through into the ground
  • real-time energy usage monitoring system network throughout the home

Although it is understood that this model is extreme in its eco-friendly design, even if only a few of these options were adopted by homeowners, the observed differences would be immense.  It is truly something with which to be astonished, as well as something deserving of a thought or two when considering some home improvement options.